La Jarosa- Cerro de Salamanca tour

UNfortunately I could not leave early to go with the bike club on their trip to the Segovia side of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Instead I took the bike in the car to La Jarosa at midday to climb up to Cerro de la Salamanca and do the path we climbed on Wednesday in reverse. Hot day, 40 in the sun, but with some breeze. Got lost in the woods near the reservoir, but found the road I descended a couple of years ago and climbed to the Camino de Mines on steep exposed forest road. 1:05hr. 'Marco's' website of Tiraleras de Madrid says that there are two 5* techncal descents near here - the Cerro de la Salamanca, and Cerro de Cueva Valiente (he has a little map). Dropped down to the start of the climb to Cueva Valiente (1903m), but it is a 2.3k carry of the bike - could'nt be bothered, so climbed back to the road, and up the path to the Refugio. Marco reckons he can do it without putting a foot down - but a long boulder strewn path is still beyond me. Fantastic descent of stones and rocks to the col, (collado) and then down in the La Jarosa valley on the same technical path as last week. Followed the road north instead of south, passing two lost bikers whom I pointed in the right direction. Took a sort of twin path to the one on the other side of the valley down through the firebreak. At the end there was a very steep and loose earthed gulley to slide down followed by a travesing path. One surprise jump on the road and a final climb back to the car. 29k, 3:50, 870m.

GR10 again!

Climbed up Abantos to meet Miguel half way with his car, which we parked at the top of the road, and cycled to the ridge. Followed the same route to the Refugio de Naranjera, but continued to climb the next 2 peaks. Pretty hard going on rock, loose stones and sand. Miguel climbs well - I need to learn more control. When he turns on the rear suspension there is no stopping him. Very staisfying climb to Cerro de Salamanca which is nearly at the Alto de Leon pass from Madrid to Segovia. Definetely need to do it in reverse, with the final descent to La Jarosa. Got to the top just before 9, so took the road down and a long climb back to the car, rewarded with a fabulous sunset at the end.



17 photos on Flickr

Cecelio from the bike club sent me a link to photos that Jesus Ruiz took on last Saturday's ride.

Getting hot

Getting hotter here, but still fine for going out in the mornings. Gentle 30k ride this morning with Miguel, from Escorial via tracks to Fresenilla, which was a mistake, since we meant to go to Zarzalejo. Made it back on the road and enjoyed the descent of the Calzada Romana. Miguel lent me his bike so I could try the full suspension. His bike is much smaller, but I can feel the difference - jumps are much softer, just pedal over the big stones no problem. Mind you he says that he could feel the control of the hard tail control much more, just needs more strength and technique. Cecilio who does the Club Luis Valtueña pages remarkes on his blog that I 'gave a demonstrationof climbing and descending using a hardtail! Since nearly everyone has full sus this is getting to be more and more of a rarity.

What i really miss in Edinburgh are clusters of rocks to practice technique on and rocky paths to descend and climb - as Miguel says - it is a mountain biker's paradise here.
Juan Antonillo of the club mailed to ask if I wanted to join them on Wed for a trip to the Camino del Ingeniero, from San Rafael, the other side of the Puerto de Leon, but clashes with taking the kids to school. I will try and go on Saturday.
32k, 2:20hr

Zarzalejo

Morning trip with a friend Miguel. Up to the Silla Filipe II, a road in a park called the Herreria where he watched the building of the Monastery. Then along to the old Roman road, which is not as smooth as it once was.

(The only smooth part of the Calzada Romana)

Miguel descends very fast on his dual sus Stumpjumper, but climbs slowly. Puncture in Zarzlejo.

View back to Zarzalego and Las Machotas.

Climb up through the woods to the ridge near La Puera de la Cruz Verde, and descend a great path, with lovely views. Lots of loose stones and sand which makes the back wheel skid all over the place. Return to Escorial. Miguel shows me a tehncail descnet from la Silla that I have never seen, even after looking frequently. This place has so many great hidden trials. 30k, 3 hrs.

Club LUIS VALTUEÑA

Went on a morning ride with members of the Mountin bike club LUIS VALTUEÑA whose webpage I found a while ago. they just happened to be doing one of their weekly trips from Escorial. Very nice bunch of guys (an one woman). about 17 of us climbed up the Llanios switchback and to the top of Abantos. Groups with a mixed ability - some very strong, others normal. Only a couple had rigid frame bikes. Plenty of waiting for the end group to catch up, but incentive to try to climb on the loose rocks when eveyone else is doing it. Same route as I did the last few days, but a different descent at the Refugio - big rocks, most people dismounted. Saw a fox. Did a great technical descent near the Embalse del Tobar - lots of rocks which most people mismounted for, followed by a hot climb to Malagon. Final steep hard descent on very loose stones and sand on the Via Pecuaria - the old cattle trail which goes straight down. First time I have ridden with a group - great fun. UNfortunately they say the Sierra de Guadarrma is being closed to all motorised traffic and bikes included above 1300m as part of the creation of a national park to stop proterty development. All the cyclists are mad about it, but it seems not much can be done.
23km. 5hrs in lots of stops. 1150 climb.

GR10 to La Jarosa

Another trip to try and do the route I missed on Tuesday. Much hotter day today, but with a nice wind, and the new helmet, so a 4pm start in over 30 degrees was not too difficult.


Gentle climb to Malagon, then along the road and up a very steep climb to the hill next to Abantos, Los Tientos.


Along the ridge that goes around the Valle de los Caídos with it's fascist-style monument, and down the rocky descent, which I did much less smoothly than before. Might have been the rainstorm that made it much softer.

At the little house I managed to keep on the path - which involved quite a bit of pushing up hill - I just cannot ride through piles of big stones. Eventual reached a hill called Carro de la Carrosqueta with great view of the valley called La Jarosa. I have beeen down before, but reaching it via the road. Saw 2 bikers descending the opposite hill - first I had seen all day.


Pretty technical descent and then a right turn down a really excellent rocky single track path about 200 m to the forest track.


Skirt round to the right until I find another track down to the lake. this is excellent! some bits are really steep and fine gravel, so the brakes hardly work.


Down the road, via a small piece of regular smooth single track and 10 ride back to to El Escorial along the main road.
40k; 4:20hr, 950m. quite a bit of carrying the bike.
Full set of photos on Flikr

Abantos and GR10

Monday evening managed to get out for an hour to practice jumps and manuals on the roads and field near the house. Tuesday morning time to skip work and head for the hills. Climbed up the road to Malagon, then on the track to the sumit of Abantos (1750m). took at wrong turning and had to carry the bike a bit. Here is a photo of the Sierra de Madrid from a previous ascent:
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Quick stop then ride north anlong the ridge with the aim of following the footpath in order to descend the other side of el Valle de los Caídos, down to La Jarosa, a reservoir. The path is a very wide firebreak for the first few kilometers, but with some technical moments. Then it starts to descend, and basically turns into a storm stream - steep and full of rocks and roots and loose stone. Excellent! Descent to an old refuge, thenI think I took at wrong turning, following the stream down the valley - I was having too much fun! However this meant I arrived at the track though the woods on the wrong side of the ridge, by the childrens camp ground - which is in the middle of nowhere. The air is fresh and cool, the horses run wild in the woods - very beautiful spot. Ride north along the track looking for a way up to the ridge again - one false turning and arrive at the tarmaced road that leads over the mountain. Ride up, but realise I have only one hour to return home, so turn back, judging that that goingback will be marginally quicker than going on. At least it is cool up in the mountains, and avoids the ride back from Guadarrama on the main road. Fast return on single track inthe woods, then back along the forest track another 5k. JOin the road again for 2-3k climb - this time the sun is out and it is hot. Time running out too, only 20 mins to descent. Take the same path down as Monday, but faster. Had to stop a for breath a couple of times. Just great to have 400m unbroken rocky singletrack.
Next time I will take a compass and read the 10,000 scale map more carefully!
40km;1000m disnivel;3:45hr

First day in Spain

Arrived in Spain on Thursday, reassembled the bike, which survived the plane trip, and went up the hill on Friday morning. The house where we stay is at the bottom of a mountain called Abantos. The house is at 970m, the top of the mountain pas - Puerto de Malagon, at 1547m, and the Abantos 1750m. Click for the Google satellite picture of the area Abantos is the mountain just north of the village.
Steep ride up to the Embalse de Romeral, then along the track to the 16 Zs - 250m of climb up narrow zigzag singletrack in the pine trees. Gets the heart racing. From Los Llanios the final 200m up to road to the top is very steep. They once ran the Giro de España up here, and have local races, so the road is painted with names of cyclists. 1:15hr to the top. Found a great new descent from near the top of Malagon down a rocky footpath, lots of roots, rock gardens etc. Cross the road again and onto the steep path down the valley - 15mins to descend.
View to the village from half way up.
16km;600m;1:45hr.

Pentland crash!

Early morning start on Sunday for a long ride over the Pentlands to do the descent from Cap Law on a small ridge called Monk's Rigg. Straight out to Harlaw along the Water of Leith, then up Black Hill, a gentle but slightly technical ascent. Push up from Green Cleugh to the 'Redd Road' which goes across Haw Hill, and up the pass between West Kip and Haw Hill. Fast climb all the way.



Then onto new tracks- the Monk's Rigg descent is fast on grass, no rock, so let go of the brakes. Great fun.


At the bottom we turned left, rather than right, hoping to avoid the road and get along to the track up through the farm at Eight Mile Burn. However the path just goes up and up - a couple of pushes included, and a slow hot ride back up to the pass again. Fun ride across the top with little jumps and then aiming down towards Bavelaw. I jumped off the path and fell off slowly, and when I caught up with Neil he was lying in the heather not moving. He was not too hurt, but the bike was - he had landed very heavily on the front wheel and it was rather an odd shape.

When Neil recovered we stood on either side of it and managed to straighten it again, but the disk brakes were rubbing. At that moment a very friendly bunch of mountain bikers came by and helped out with assorted tools and suggestions. Wheel back on, nearly straight, no front brake, but fine to descend and fast back home along the Water of Leith from Balerno. 49km round trip - 5hrs out, 4 riding.

Playing on the Links

Bike as been serviced (£40 ) and time to take the children down to Bruntsfield Links to play. They love to ride down the hill and over the bumps.

I was practicing manuals and jumping as usual.

Neil puntured a tire with a pin so he was wheeling my bike.